Around the Campfire
by VenomPepsi
Summary: Even when battle rages, and when the Radiant and Dire fight, there is some respite between skirmishes. In the jungles and bases of the two sides, heroes rest and prepare for their next encounter with the enemy. However, the Grand Magus had other things on his mind.


Fire was fascinating.

The way the copper embers of the campfire danced like butterflies in summer. It was captivating to the curious eyes of a strange, though at the same time, sensible magician. His head twitched, his neck jerked, his eyes jumped from every sight to every sound, analyzing and deciphering each little detail. From the light of the moon that tickled his long robe, to the orange glow radiating in the clearing he sat, he held an opinion. With a gloved hand, Rubick let a falling ember rest in his palm as he watched, with rapt attention, the final moments of that desperate little flame burning away everything it had left.

"Fire is such a fascinating and beautiful thing. Don't you agree?" He looked up from his palm to ask the only other by the campfire, who had long before retreated to the confines of her own mind.

Cross legged with her eyes closed shut, Lanaya the Templar Assassin was deep in meditation. About what, Rubick could only guess, though he still did wish to find out. The Hidden Temple from where she hailed was a very secretive bunch, and there were many a time when Lanaya warned Rubick to stop snooping where her superiors didn't want him. Sometimes that would satiate his curiosity, though it may have been Lanaya asking him nicely that caused him to desist. They were teammates after all. Most times however, he would carry on, without their knowledge, even with the looming threat of death.

There was no doubt he thought she could kill him. As it was her job. He also thought she'd have a tough time ahead of her. Enough for him to maybe survive long enough for her superiors to order her to give up. Though that was as unlikely as Admiral Kunkka and Tidehunter getting along.

He had dueled many in his lifetime, more than a few were just some stupid kids looking for a sum gold from a shady character after a Grand Magus' head, but he doubted a fraction could come close to the fight Lanaya would give him. She was trained, taught how to protect her temple's secrets from nosey mages like him. If she wasn't a challenge, well frankly, he would be disappointed.

As deadly as she was beautiful, Rubick thought twice about waking her to talk about fire. He had already frustrated her with constant nattering about the way she styled her hair and the dangers it presented on the battlefield. He thought that maybe she needed some peace.

The wood continued to burn, and the fire stayed in its place, warming the pair. Occasionally Rubick would retrieve some wood and refuel the dying flames, though that got boring quickly. An hour after his question about fire and the Grand Magus had become extremely bored. Bored enough to risk the wrath of a trained assassin. By now she had ceased meditating and had began sleeping. Beds were nothing but the ground beneath them, and he doubted it was easy to get to sleep in the first place.

As he watched her, with an innocent question about the face paint she sported, his tongue became caught. The words danced on the hyperactive muscle but held no urgency to leave. She deserved to sleep, especially after her day. Receiving multiple arrows from a gorgon, dodging a hook from Pudge that came so close it cut a lock from her hair, even managing to survive a flurry of attacks from an enraged Lifestealer. She had more than earned some peace, and it'd be more than rotten of him to think otherwise.

Back to boredom, Rubick rested his hands out on the ground beneath him, leaning back and absorbing the night. Little twinkling stars, chirping of crickets and hooting of owls, babbling of a nearby creek, and the whistling of a cold breeze. All so very peaceful. Never once did he forget why he loved the Radiant's side of the river. It wouldn't allow him. His mind wandered, but not to the usual bunch of thoughts when he was alone. Normally his musings regarded things most academic, or unsolved mysteries he aimed to try his hand at. Heck, Razzil's quest for gold was something he wished to try and solve sometime. Yet, as he sat there, his gaze steady and his twitching almost nonexistent, he again thought of the assassin sleeping by him.

Mostly, he thought of who she was beneath the title of Templar Assassin. He thought of her personal life, and if she even had one. His inquiries into the Hidden Temple had shone a not so pleasant light on the way they treated their assassins and assassins to be. Maybe they had their reasons for their training methods, and Rubick was determined to find out if they were entirely justified. He wondered if she had friends, or at least someone to train with between battles. Did she have hobbies? Did she prefer the writings of one author over another? Did she have grand aspirations for herself? Did she have romantic pursuits? Did her beau have a fascination with the secrets of the arcane arts like she? All questions he aimed to find answers for. Though why, was something he did not think of.

A soft yawn from the sleeping woman before him roused him from his thoughts, and if he'd been a different man he may have even blushed at his staring. It was cute. He was no less of a man if he admitted that. He'd be silly to not admit to himself if anyone, but Lanaya intrigued him to no end. She jostled slightly, maybe trying to get into a more comfortable position.

When her moving stopped and she seemed to be satisfied with her position on her back, a roar, one that Rubick knew belonged to the Ursa bear woke the entire jungle around them, and Lanaya. Wolves howled, hellbears roared and wildwing screeched, just for Lanaya. Like a creature of the undead rising from its grave, Lanaya's top half rose slowly, her lower body staying perfectly still. Eyes of drowsiness and hair of messiness were the first things Rubick noticed, both enough for the Magus' wall to crumble, and his laughter to start.

"It's not that funny." Lanaya murmured, her voice droopy and slow, even ending her statement with a yawn.

"Oh, but it is." Rubick merely countered. Silence returned, only the crackling of the campfire filling the night. Then, out of nowhere, another roar, one to rival Jah'rakal the angry troll warlord, or even Maelrawn himself echoed throughout the jungle. Originating from Lanaya's tummy. Keen eyes were needed to spot the almost invisible blush that crept onto the top of her cheeks, which Rubick caught, though decided to leave unmentioned.

"Hungry?" He softly chuckled, ceasing quickly enough when he felt her gaze bore through him. "Don't look at me, I have no food. Do you?"

Her stare faltered, becoming somewhat nervous, falling to the ground as she thought of what to say. "Hm... I do have some tangos, though I doubt they are very nourishing. What do you think we should do?" Her eyes looked back at him, waiting for his suggestion. She knew it herself, Rubick was smart, and listening to him never felt like time wasted. Well, if he wasn't rambling. When he tried, his words weighed greater than countless others'.

One gloved hand reached for his chin, while the other grasped at his staff, laying the stick with mystical arcane energies still swirling at its tip across his lap. For a moment, his twitching froze, and another roar filled the forest's air.

"Jungle." He said, with a snap of his fingers.

Even though the natural beauty of the Radiant's jungle soothed his eyes and calmed his ears, it did nothing to stop his heart rate's pace. The jungle on either side was a dangerous place, any kind of sight of an incoming enemy, or enemies in most cases was obstructed by dense foliage. Clusters of lush, green trees did nothing but bring Rubick bouts of worry, and Lanaya too.

The plan was to find a small group of wolves living in the jungle, take one back to the camp and eat it. In theory, simple. One was a Grand Magus who outsmarted countless great wizards, warlocks and assassins, the other was a deadly assassin that killed those great wizards, warlocks and assassins.

"Now, you see that one in the middle?" Rubick's gloved index finger pointed from the bush they took cover in, resting on the wolf that doubled the size of the two beside it. "That is the alpha wolf. He will have the most meat on his bones."

"How should we engage them?" Lanaya asked, trusting the wise Magus to formulate a good game plan.

"We? I am unnecessary in this endeavor. Just attack them assassin. They are no match for you." His voice deepened, become a growl of sorts. "That was both a statement of fact and a compliment." It was always strange when Rubick's voice began to rumble so lowly. It was more akin to a feline's purr than a human's voice. Without question, Lanaya burst from the undergrowth, unsheathing her psionic blades.

As she neared, the wolves took notice, all three steeling themselves for a fight, becoming more and more aggressive and rabid the closer she got.

Closer and closer Lanaya crept, until finally the alpha snapped, leading his subordinates in a charge to attack the intruder. Fangs bared, the wolf opened its terrifying mouth to clench down on assassin flesh and missed. Where a pink, female, elf stood only a small pile of crinkled leaves remained. Baffled, the leader of the pack sniffed around, trying to find where their most recent meal disappeared into thin air. It seemed as though she melded into the grass. Falling back on sensory means, the wild beast couldn't sense any sign of the attacker as he sniffed vigorously at the spot where she once was.

Until she reappeared, throwing one of her psionic blades as she did. The two other pack wolves watched as their alpha exploded into red, gooey chunks, covering their den in blood. From afar, face in palm, Rubick groaned loudly, with a smile on his lips as he saw the unnecessary overkill of their planned meal, groaning once more when a stray chunk of wolf meat landed on his head. Lanaya, knowing all too well her wizard friend would have something to say about the whole event, waited as the Magus approached from out of the shrubbery, anticipating to be laughed at.

"You were only meant to kill it. I suppose you succeeded," he mumbled, glancing around, "nevertheless, you weren't supposed to give the jungle a new coat of paint." He giggled, then aimed his staff to the side, and without looking, sent a bolt of arcane energy through the two remaining wolves. Scorch marks marred their corpses as they lay steaming in their den. "At least we get one each now!" He cackled as he lifted them up and began the trek back to the camp.

Only the sound of Lanaya sighing filled the now empty wolf den.

The smell that circulated the small clearing in which they sat was simply divine. It had been too long since Lanaya had a tasty meal, let alone an entire wolf carcass. The sight alone was driving her crazy, her eyes were locked on to the rotating bodies as they span around the rickety spit made of twigs and held up with hopeless optimism. She was so engrossed by the dance of fire and food, she didn't even notice Rubick's constant giggles and chuckles, entirely at her expense.

"Here," he laughed as he handed her a skewered wolf, which she took without hesitation, "bon appétit." Rubick's eyes returned to his meal, still slowly rotating, hung above the campfire. Out the corner of his eye, Lanaya, her meat undisturbed by her teeth, slowly removed her mask, letting the cool night air caress her usually covered skin. It felt nice to once in a while remove her coverings. To the wizard sitting a few feet away from her, he was flabbergasted.

Never before had he seen Lanaya without her garb, and the sight of her cheek bones, her face paint, her chin, her lips, it was simply stunning. Beauty resonated from the elf like mystery and majesty did from the moon. Even then, as she devoured the wolf meat like a wild animal, juices spilling from the charred remains, the strong scent of cooked food seeping its way around the battlefield, she was magical to him.

Eventually, she caught his staring, and pulled up her cloth, looking slightly uncomfortable because of him. Shame and, what hadn't visited in a long while, embarrassment filled up within the Magus. For a moment, he paused, tongue tied on how to continue, simply landing on an apology that made him feel significantly younger. He sighed with relief when the faint outline of her lips curled upward, and she cheerfully accepted his sorry.

While he waited for his wolf to cook, Rubick's mind twisted and turned, bouncing from thought to thought eventually landed on the dryness of his mouth.

It took only a second for him to find as solution to his parched problem. "Lanaya?" he called, "would you perhaps like a drink?" The assassin turned to face him, slightly nervous at the sudden spring in his voice. Her eyes fell upon the Grand Magus pointing his staff at his own face. "A little trick I learned from the Brewmaster." Before she could ask, bronze liquid gushed from the strange tip of his staff, the floating and constantly morphing gems that capped it changed into the shape of a hose.

As she watched the strange magician guzzle down the stream of liquid, suddenly she noticed something different. Something she'd never seen before. Rubick's face. Well, a fraction of it. The bottom part of his mask was rolled up, so his mouth was free to eat as much wolf and guzzle down as much ale as he pleased, which was beginning to be a lot.

Lanaya herself had never tried anything alcoholic, the Temple never allowed it, though she was curious. Curious about the taste, and especially about the after effects. From seeing Tusk, Bristleback and the Brewmaster together after a victory, and before, being inebriated seemed... fun. It was stupid and irresponsible and unbelievably annoying to deal with them, but she couldn't ignore their hearty laughs and constant smiles they wore. Almost contagious. Almost.

When the Magus had finished, his tongue certainly wet, Lanaya's eyes were drawn to his exposed flesh. His skin was abnormally pale, almost translucent. His thin, only slightly pinker lips curled upwards in a sloppy, drunken grin. It was strange. She held a burning desire to see more, just like in her youth, when her insatiable curiosity lead to her discovery of the Hidden Temple. For once, was the wall between his outer armour and her lowered, albeit partially, and it drove her crazy. Though this time, it wasn't a looming desire for all, it was just one thing, one person.

She wanted to see every aspect of his body, from his face down to his feet. What colours his eyes were, what colour his hair was, did he own any scars, was he handsome, what did he smell like, what did he skin feel like against hers? Questions that she needed to be answered, secrets to be discovered. Questions that were to never leave the confines of her mind.

"Lanaya?" He mumbled, loudly hiccuping moments later. "Would you like to try some?" Again, his voice crept to a purr of sorts, as he pointed his staff directly into her face, only inches away. If she hadn't been deep into her thoughts, she may have noticed her personal space being invaded so aggressively, or heard her companion's offer. If her internal musings weren't so compelling and had ended sooner, she could've realized the Magus had noticed the subject of her heavy thinking.

Glorious blue eyes were fixated on his exposed skin, something Rubick had not drank enough yet not to notice. However, unlike the blush she carried before the hunt, this he intended to not let go unmentioned. Many times did he call her name, yet keeping his voice at a safe enough level, just to make sure no danger was brought upon them. Each time he called, she ignored him, and by the fourth time, Rubick had decided to go through with his nefarious scheme.

Only a great man, pure of heart and mind, strong and honorable, with a sense of humor as dead as a skeleton could not of laughed when the always stoic and serious Templar Assassin spluttered and coughed uncontrollably, the gush of beer from his stave knocking her onto her back. It goes without saying, Rubick was not one of those men. His odd, unabashed cackling filled the air, replacing the once depressing silence, only stopping when the spray relented and Lanaya's head rose to face him.

Those deep, blue eyes had become filled with hellfire, enough to give Doom a run for his money. Sticky drink had stuck to her hair, which had then stuck to her face. The war paint beneath her eyes had began to run, dribbling beneath her mask.

"What do you think you are doing!?" She hissed, her hands unconsciously forming her psionic blades. The hostile gesture almost made the Magus freeze with fright, yet he was determined to have some fun at the assassin's expense, even if that meant his demise.

"Merely waking you up. Did you forget? It's rude to stare." He giggled back at her, adamantly ignoring the two fascinating weapons by her side. Upon her upper lip, some of the beer that had seeped below her mask had pooled, and it was only instinct for Lanaya to squeeze out her tongue and absorb the moisture. Though when the taste filled her senses, she couldn't help but jump at the words that were to leave her lips.

"May I... have some more?" She mumbled, then quickly extended a psi blade and yelled. "But not in the same way!"

Though their singing was loud and obnoxious enough that even Roshan felt tempted to leave his lair, they did not care. For they were wasted. Wholly and truly. Songs about the Ancients, other heros, creeps, anything and everything echoed about the battlefield.

Why they hadn't been attacked, their teammates were baffled. If they hadn't been so inebriated, they'd be confused too. Maybe the insect assassin was taking a breather.

Arms over each others shoulders, sitting cross legged by the campfire, Lanaya and Rubick slowly swayed from side to side. With a final uproar, their latest single ended, out of tune and very out of sync. It was about a love story between a Dire creep and a Radiant creep, maybe. This befuddled narrator doubts even the Ancients knew what they sang about.

They turned to face each other, sloppy smiles painted across each others unmasked, or in the case of Rubick, partially unmasked faces. It may have been due to the alcohol or to their close proximity, but Lanaya couldn't help but feel hers cheeks redden somewhat. The magus noticed, quirking an eyebrow and feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention.

"How do you fare, fair maiden?" Her drunkenly mumbled out.

To see lips move to the sound of his voice disturbed the pink elf. "I am grand, Grand Magus!" She squealed out, laughing herself silly after.

"You are what?" Rubick asked, bring his free arm up to cup his chin. When inquisitive eyes began to bore down upon her, the loud uproar from her fell to occasional snickers.

"Grand, Grand Magus!"

The wizard paused, looking toward his eleven companion with utter confusion, before bursting out into husky giggling and chuckling, shortly joined by an ecstatic assassin, relieved he got the joke. Half a minute passed and the assassin was still going strong, while the Mage was wiping his mask's eye hole. Lanaya saw, and brought a hand up to stifle even more of her laughter.

When they had calmed, arms still over each other, their gazes met again, though this time their eyes had borrowed some of the fire from the camp. They were captivated by each other orbs. Then slowly, their eyes drifted south, resting upon each others lips.

"Lanaya?" Rubick purred, exciting her to no end, his tongue curling out to lick his pale slivers of lips.

"Yes?" She whispered out of breath, mimicking him and tasting some beer and meat on her own.

"Fire is fascinating don't you think?" He blurted out, turning and looking at the dwindling flames. Steam seemed to rise from out her ears, as she stared fiery holes through side of the oblivious mage's head.

'Just shut up and kiss me!' Rubick heard before having his gaze forcefully torn away from the fire, and having a beautiful elf plant her plump lips upon his. For a moment, he shut down, melting into her soft lips. Though when he awoke, his heart began pounding, his mind acting on impulse and kissing back and snaking out some tongue.

Now it was Lanaya's turn to dissolve, her mind overwhelmed by the delightful sensations emanating from his massaging. When her thoughts returned, her response was to retort with her own tongue. They kept going, their hands meanwhile exploring each others bodies, Rubick's gloved grip cupping her armoured breast gently, and stroking her soft behind. Lanaya's smoothed their way up his chest and grasped his shoulders and neck, then finally fell upon either side of his face.

Their lips parted, staring mask to face, panting wildly. Both of the alcohol in their systems had seemed to have vanished, as their minds were racing faster than it had ever done before in battle. For once in his life, Rubick was simply speechless. Lanaya's had so much to say, and was definitely not going to give this opportunity up.

With a smile that drove Rubick crazy, she pushed him to the ground and straddled the Magus. Before she started answering her earlier internal questions, one by one, he simply muttered, "fascinating."

A pair of paws and a pair of armoured boots stomped through the Radiant jungle, sharing information and tactics.

Davion, the Dragon Knight spoke with the furry Ursa warrior Ulfsaar. Though the two had some differences, both appreciated each others strengths. One, with claws sharp enough to tear armour to shreds. The other with skin unlike any shielding a knight dreamed to own.

The current battle the Radiant had been fighting in was, to put it bluntly, looking rather bleak. Only one outer tower still stood, and Gondar had only recently barely escaped with his life from an earlier attempt to kill him. Davion had met with the ferocious bear to order him to maul the giant Roshan, while he would keep watch from outside the monster's pit.

"Good plan. The little donkey that odd wizard purchased had just given me Vladimir's Offering." His deep voice droned out, placing the strange hooded skull in his pack.

"Good. Let us-" The knight began, but stopped when he heard something. A tremendous moan. Then came another one, though this one was much louder, coming from their jungle. Then came another, this one more akin to a scream. The two paused, listening intently, trying to place a name on the source, when it hit Davion like a sack of bricks. "Is that..."

"Lanaya!"

The two ran, blade and claws unsheathed to fight. Hopefully Rubick was near. The four of them, including Lanaya, if she had not already fell, could surely be triumphant in a fight against the Dire. The knight had began to draw the blood of Uldorak from its hibernation, anticipating he would need the dragon's assistance. Up ahead around a cluster of trees, an orange glow lit up the woods, the sounds coming from the nearby clearing.

"Hold." Davion ordered, aggravating the bloodthirsty bear.

"What?" He impatiently snarled. Out of his pack, Davion brought a small purple vial, one which Ulfsaar recognised as the smoke of deceit. Quickly, he dropped it, the glass shattering and the wispy grey contents drawing around them and hiding them from sight. Lanaya screamed, hurrying their charge. In moments they rounded the corner, laying sight upon the Templar Assassin and Grand Magus.

"Oh yes!"

And as quickly as they came, they retreated to the fountain.


End file.
